


Reservations

by wannaliveindeansdimples



Series: Stranded!Verse [2]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: AU, Blizzards & Snowstorms, Destiel - Freeform, Hotels, M/M, Snowed In, Stranded, Strangers, Writer!Dean
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-06
Updated: 2014-02-06
Packaged: 2018-01-11 08:19:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,344
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1170804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wannaliveindeansdimples/pseuds/wannaliveindeansdimples
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There's only one room left at the hotel during the blizzard, but Castiel Novak's king size bed is big enough for two.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Reservations

**Author's Note:**

> Not sure if there will be more of these, but I really, really like this trope, so there might just be. 
> 
> Thanks for reading! 
> 
> Enjoy!

Dean was glad he wasn’t too far from the hotel where he’d made his reservation when the blizzard blew in a full 12 hours earlier than predicted. It was only two miles, but since he couldn’t go faster than 15 - and sometimes less - it took him over half an hour before he was turning his car into the lot.

Two men walked in just ahead of him. When he got inside, they were both at the front desk being waited on. As Dean tapped his foot in boredom, he heard one say, in the most gravelly voice Dean had heard in a long time, that he had a reservation. A harried desk clerk asked him for his last name. The other man told the second clerk that he needed a room.

“Do you have a reservation?”

“No, but this blizzard - “

“I know, but I am sorry, sir, all our rooms are taken. You are welcome to spend the night in the lobby, but I’m afraid we are down to one reservation and then we are fully booked.”

Dean was relieved to hear he still had his reservation. There was little the man could say, so he didn’t argue. He just took a seat on one of the sofas in the lobby and looked miserable. The desk clerk looked after him in pity, then turned to smile at Dean.

“Do you have a reservation?”

“Yeah, it’s under Winchester?”

“Yes, sir, here you are.”

As the two desk clerks tapped keys, Dean looked around idly and he and the other man made accidental eye contact. Dean smiled automatically and the stranger returned it, intensely blue eyes crinkling slightly at the corners. For some reason Dean felt slightly breathless under that gaze, even though the glance had lasted mere seconds.

The other desk clerk was evidently a slower typist because he and the stranger were handed their keys at the same time. The lobby was very quiet, despite the half dozen people who were milling around in it, so when Dean’s clerk said, “There you are, Mr. Winchester, you are in room 214” he was able to clearly hear the other clerk say “- room 214, Mr. Novak.”

The clerks’ heads snapped toward each other, as did Dean’s and the stranger’s. Dean’s clerk said, “Steve, you’d already started his check in when Mr. Winchester arrived and it showed one room free when I looked it up.” Then they started talking quietly together and going back and forth being computers, tapping keys feverishly.  

At one point, Dean heard his clerk say, “You didn’t check in anyone without a reservation, did you?” and dread pooled in his gut. The other guy was here first. He was about to get stuck sleeping in the lobby.

When the clerks were finished with their conference, his clerk’s words confirmed his fears. “Mr. Winchester, I am afraid there has been a terrible mix-up. I can’t tell you how sorry I am. I don’t have a room for you after all. As I told the gentleman ahead of you, I can let you sleep in the lobby. And of course, I am going to give you some vouchers for free future room rentals. I am so, so sorry.”

Dean laughed and looked skyward. “Hey, what’s one more addition to my crappy day?” Then he tried to smile sincerely at the desk clerk. “I know it’s not your fault, man. This just really sucks, you know? Shit!” he muttered as he turned away.

“Sir? I really can’t recommend driving in this weather. The news is urging everyone to stay off the streets.”

“Yeah, I heard the weather reports. I’ve just got some stuff I can’t leave in my car to freeze.” He stalked out the front door, trying to keep his calm. He wanted to punch something, but that wasn’t going to get him a room. The blizzard had picked up speed while he was inside. He could barely see through the falling blanket of white. He had gone only a few feet when he heard a voice call out his name.

“Mr. Winchester?” He turned, to find the man with the dangerous blue eyes bearing down on him. When the man saw that he had stopped, he jogged forward and closed the distance. “Mr. Winchester, look, I know you don’t know me and I don’t know if this is weird or not, but my room has a king sized bed and we’re adults. I see no reason why we can’t share the room.”

Not in the mood to be propositioned, even if the guy was gorgeous, Dean said, “Sorry, man, I don’t swing that way,” and started to walk toward his car again.

“Wait! I’m not...that isn’t what I meant.” The guy was clearly shocked that Dean had thought that, so he paused again to hear him out. “I mean, if you’re worried about that, the room will have extra pillows. We can lay them down the middle of the bed.”

Dean had pretty good radar and he believed that the guy was truly just trying to be nice. But Dean wasn’t used to people doing nice things for him, so he had to ask, “Why would you do that? Offer to share your bed with a total stranger?”

“Because it’s the decent thing to do? Because I didn’t see that my arriving 30 seconds before you did should mean I get a bed for the night and you don’t, when we both did what we were supposed to do to secure one?”

He looked at Dean expectantly, while Dean took his measure and tried to decide just what to do. Finally the guy stuck out his hand and said, “I’m Castiel Novak.”

Dean stared at it for a few seconds before taking it in his own. Those eyes were boring into him now and it was less uncomfortable than it had been, but no less intense. “Dean. Let’s walk to the car while we talk, ok? This snow isn’t letting up and I don’t wanna get buried out here.”

“Dean Winchester? You’ve got to be kidding me. You look different than your cover photo.”

“Oh, great, are you going to tell me my books are sacrilegious heresy?” he asked as he pulled his bags from the back seat. “Or self-important drivel? It’s usually one or the other.”

Cas gaped at him. “I think they’re brilliant, actually.”

Dean didn’t know what to say to that, so he asked, “What do you do?” Then he closed and locked the car and started walking back inside.

“I work for your publisher, actually. I’m in sales and distribution.” They had reached the vestibule just outside the lobby. “So, Mr. Winchester. Are you staying with me or not?”

Slowly, Dean nodded. “Yeah, ok. But you have to let me pay for half the room.”

Cas shrugged. “The company reimburses me, so I don’t care one way or the other.”

Dean blinked, then grinned. “Then I guess it’s on you, Novak.” He clapped him on the shoulder as he made his way inside, holding the door for the other man despite the fact that he had his own hands full.

* * *

 

When they got inside the room, it was easy enough to get settled. Dean put a few things in the fridge and then said he had writing he needed to do and Castiel said he had his own reading he wanted to catch up on. So Castiel settled on the bed with a stack of books and Dean spread out at the table with his laptop and a notebook.

Castiel had worried that the tap of keys would be annoying, but it was actually rather soothing. He was so accustomed to solitude that he had expected this night to be horribly uncomfortable, decent thing to do or not. He was delighted to find that was not the case. Dean Winchester actually made a restful companion to have around.

Castiel realized he was staring at the man and drew his gaze back down to his book. He didn’t think he could be blamed for looking, though. The man was just so damned...pretty. Strong shoulders, apple green eyes, perfect mouth that would...yeah, no, that was not the kind of thing to be focusing on when he was going to have to share a bed with the guy.

He tried hard to concentrate on his book again. Then he noticed Dean stretching his arms over his head. He felt the green eyes zero in on him. He pretended he didn’t see and continued to act like he was reading. He expected Dean to say something to him to get his attention, but to his surprise, the other man seemed to be staring at him now.

After a full minute of observation - and two unnecessary page turns - Castiel pretended to look up in contemplation and “realize” Dean was looking at him. Before Castiel’s eyes reached the green ones, they had moved away, however. Then Dean glanced back up and smiled.

“This chair is getting pretty uncomfortable. You mind if I get set up on the bed to type for a while?”

“Not at all,” Castiel told him with an answering smile.

Castiel tried not to notice how sexy the man’s bowlegged walk was as he came toward the bed and set his laptop down. Instead, he concentrated on holding his stack of books and the other man hoisted himself onto the bed and got comfortable. They exchanged awkward smiles and then each turned toward their activity.

Dean almost immediately turned back and asked, “Whatcha reading there, Novak?”

“Please, call me Castiel.”

“Ok, Cas-ti-el.” Dean sounded it out slowly and frowned slightly. “Would you be ok with just ‘Cas’? Don’t get me wrong, it’s a great name, I’m just not great with pronunciation.” Then he added, “And you can call me Dean.”

Castiel smiled slightly. “Cas is fine, Dean. I’m reading a book on angel lore. Have you read it?” He showed Dean the cover.

Dean made a face. “If it’s like the others that I read for research for my first book, I am not interested.”

“No, I read several of those.” He frowned. “Well, I tried to. I couldn’t get through most of them.” His face cleared and he made eye contact with Dean again. “Anyway, no, this is nothing like those. You might find it pretty interesting, actually.”

Dean pooched his lips out and down in a considering face. “Yeah, ok, maybe I’ll check it out.” He turned back to his laptop, but didn’t start writing.

Castiel bit his lip and then decided to bite the bullet and speak. “Is what you’re working on part of the same series or something new?”

Dean actually looked relieved at the distraction. “It’s something new, actually. Not sure how your bosses are going to feel about it, but sometimes the story writes itself, you know?”

Castiel didn’t know, not really, but he nodded with a companionable smile. “I am sure it will be good, even if it’s different from the others. You have a very good way with words.”

Dean’s smile was wide and genuine. “Thank you, Cas. You obviously love to read,” he said, gesturing at the stack of books. “So I guess you know what you’re talking about.”

Castiel’s eyebrows drew together. “Well, technically these are for work, but - ”

“Correct me if I am wrong, but it is your day off and yet you’re reading them anyway?”

Castiel nodded slowly.

“Then you love reading,” he said with a teasing smile. “Take me for example. I am technically on a vacation, too, yet here I sit, writing. Because I love it.”

Castiel smiled, then nodded. “Yes, ok, I do love reading. It’s my favorite thing about my job. Really, I am only supposed to familiarize myself with the basics, but I almost always end up reading them all the way through.”

“Unless they suck?”

“Unless they suck,” Castiel confirmed with a grin. He found he was enjoying the conversation and did not want to return to his book - or let Dean return to his. “So, have you always known you wanted to be a writer?”

They continued talking for a long time, neither even realizing that they put their tasks away after a few minutes. As they talked, they slowly changed position, from leaning against the headboard, legs stretched out, to facing each other, knees bent sideways and feet almost touching. It was only when Castiel reached for a sip of his water that he realized the time.

“Wow, it’s getting late. I feel like I should probably go to bed.” He didn’t really want to. Then he told his companion, “Of course, it isn’t like I have to get up in the morning, right? Couldn’t leave even if I wanted to.”

“I think I’m gonna have a beer. You want one?”

“Beer’s not really my taste. Thanks, though.” In truth Castiel rarely drank, period. He just didn’t usually enjoy the weird buzzy feeling it gave him.

“No sweat, man. I like it myself, but I mostly drink it at night because it helps me sleep.”

“Yeah?” Castiel asked, surprised. “Hm, maybe I should give it a try then.”

“Here, I’ll get you one and if you don’t want it, I’ll drink the rest,” Dean said, walking over to the mini fridge and taking out the six pack. He deftly removed two of them with one hand and slid the rest back in the fridge. He used a ring to pop the caps off, which Castiel refused to admit was sexy. “You have trouble sleeping, too?”

Castiel laughed. “I don’t sleep, most nights. I go to bed at a decent time and I lie there, resting, for a few hours. Sometimes, I crash out for a few hours once I’m tired enough. Other times I doze for a while and then I’m awake again.”

“Oh, believe me, I know the feeling. It’s no fun at all. I don’t even bother anymore with going to bed early, unless I’ve had a beer or two.” He clinked the neck of his bottle against Castiel’s. “Cheers, Cas.”

The men smiled at each other, commiserating. Castiel found himself counting Dean’s dimples as he took the first sip of his beer. He tried not to follow the beer’s track down Dean’s throat, in the bob of his adam’s apple or the muscles working in his neck. He failed. As Dean turned to look at him, Castiel hastily took a large chug of his own beer.

He was surprised by the taste. “This...isn’t as terrible as the other beers I’ve tried.”

Dean laughed. “Man, I don’t drink that gas station crap that advertises on tv. I only drink the good stuff. LIfe is too short to drink bad beer.” He saluted with his bottle and took another long gulp. This time Castiel turned away so he couldn’t see.

They sat in silence for a while, drinking and occasionally making eye contact that was either more and more awkward or less and less. Castiel wasn’t sure, but he knew it was becoming more frequent. Finally, they just sort of...stared at each other for a minute. Castiel knew it wasn’t strictly normal behavior, but he kind of liked it. He thought maybe Dean did, too.

“You have really nice eyes,” Dean said, evidently surprising himself as much as Castiel, based on the look on his face.

Castiel figured it would be be less awkward for them for him to act nonchalant rather than freak out. “Uh, thanks. So, um, so do you.”

Dean gave an embarrassed half smile, a blush spreading over his freckled skin. Then he huffed a laugh. “Sorry, man. I jump on you thinking this was a proposition and then I go and give you what sounds like a cheesy come on. I just...they’re very intense and it caught me off guard.”

Castiel smiled, relaxing a little with the further compliment. “It’s fine, Dean. It’s nice, being complimented. Doesn’t happen a lot.”

“I can’t believe that. I gotta say, though. Most guys would freak out if another guy told them that. To be honest, there was a time I would’ve and I’m...well, I don’t care if an admirer is male or female, let’s leave it at that.” He looked uncomfortable again, tugging at his collar as if it were trying to eat him.

“I am not most men, Dean. And, while we’re on the subject, while I was not propositioning you, neither am I straight.” He waited a moment to let it sink in. He thought Dean had just told him he was bisexual, but he hadn’t exactly been clear.

“Oh.” Dean’s face registered several different emotions, none of which Castiel could read in the short time they were on his face. “So you’re, uh…”

“Pansexual.”

Castiel knew the emotion on Dean’s face now. It was utter confusion. “What does that mean?”

“It means I am utterly indifferent to sexual orientation. I am attracted to people, regardless of gender.”

“Oh. That’s, uh...that’s actually pretty awesome,” Dean said, his face breaking into a smile. “I didn’t wanna freak you out earlier, so in case you didn’t know what I was saying, I’m bisexual.” Then his eyelids drew back and his eyebrows went up and he stammered. “I mean, I still wasn’t hitting on you or anything.”

Castiel got off the bed. He started toward the bathroom and looked back over his shoulder, smiling. “That’s too bad. He turned away without waiting for Dean’s response.

* * *

 

Shit. Shit. Shit. He hadn’t meant to say that out loud. Sure, the guy had arresting blue eyes he could spend weeks looking into and never get bored, but you don’t tell someone that, not some other guy you think is probably straight and you just met and who did you a favor. You just don’t. But Dean had and now the guy was probably going to -

“-so do you.”

Wait, what?

Dean couldn’t believe how cool Cas was being about this and he told him so. He didn’t seem to mind, but then again, neither did he seem interested. It was a win-loss, but it had almost been a loss-loss, so Dean would take it. Then the guy was telling him that he wasn’t straight and Dean was hopeful for a second before he realized that Cas had given a reminder that he wasn’t propositioning him, so he was probably not the guy’s type. Not surprising really. The guy was gorgeous with a capital GUH. He was just regular old blue collar, Dean Winchester, despite the modicum of fame and fortune his books had brought him.

Pansexual? That was a new one on him. To be fair, he didn’t exactly make the study of  sexuality his priority in life. He had always been attracted to both sexes and once he made peace with that, his life had been just fine. Why complicate it with too much introspection or research if he didn’t need to?

He realized how awesome it was that Cas could just embrace other people that way, with no regard for their bodies and he said so. “I’m bisexual.” As soon as he said it, Cas’ eyes had narrowed and Dean figured he must think that Dean had been hitting on him. The guy was doing him a favor, was allowing him to share his room and his bed and this is how Dean repays the debt? Shit.

“I mean, I still wasn’t hitting on you or anything.” He could hardly breathe, afraid the guy was gonna be pissed, especially since he had accused him of being the skeevy one back in the parking lot.

  
Then Cas was saying, “That's too bad,” and all of Dean’s brain shut down for a moment, so that a hot flush of adrenaline could spread through his limbs, setting them on fire. His mouth was dry. He barely registered that the shower was running, until Cas poked his head back out of the bathroom and said, “Are you coming?”


End file.
